The hidden inner light revealed

ויקרא שמו נח כו' זה ינחמנו.

"And he called his name Noach... this one will comfort us" (Bereishis 5:29).

The Sefas Emes opens with the naming of Noach and the prophecy that he would bring comfort.

ואיתא שנולד מהול.

And it is brought that he was born circumcised (mahul).

Chazal relate that Noach was born already circumcised — a sign of his special spiritual nature.

כי ע"י חטא האדם נמשך הערלה ומכסה על בשר הפנימי ומזה בא כל הקללה מעשינו ועצבון ידינו כמ"ש בעצב תלדי בעצבון תאכלנה והכל ענין אחד ע"י שנתערב פסולת במזון גם הזרע יש בה פסולת.

For through the sin of Adam the orlah (foreskin) was drawn forth and covers over the inner flesh, and from this comes all the curse — "our deeds and the toil of our hands" — as it says, "In pain you shall bear children" and "in toil you shall eat of it" (Bereishis 3:16-17); and it is all one matter: through the mixing of waste (pesoles) into the food, even the seed has waste in it.

Adam's sin brought a "covering" of impurity over the inner holy core — the spiritual orlah — and from this flows all the curse of painful, toilsome existence; the waste mixed into creation contaminates everything, even procreation.

ונח שנולד מהול הכירו בו הצורה הפנימית אשר שם צוה ה' הברכה.

And Noach, who was born circumcised — they recognized in him the inner form, where Hashem commanded the blessing.

Because Noach was born without the orlah, his inner spiritual form was openly visible, and it is upon that inner form that Hashem's blessing rests.

ונק' זה שהיא צורה מבורכת בלי פסולת.

And it is called "this one," for it is a blessed form without waste.

The word "zeh" ("this one will comfort us") points to this pure, blessed inner form free of any admixture of pesoles.

וזה הנחמה שיצא ללמד על הכלל כולו.

And this is the comfort — that he came forth to teach about the whole.

Noach's revealed inner purity serves as a model teaching about the hidden holy core present within everyone.

ונודע אשר תחת הערלה נמצא אור גנוז.

And it is known that beneath the orlah a hidden light (or ganuz) is found.

Underneath the concealing covering lies a concealed Divine light — the inner radiance hidden by impurity.

ולכן נח מצא חן בעיני ה' שעל הצורה הפנימית חל החן.

Therefore Noach found favor (chein) in the eyes of Hashem, for the favor rests upon the inner form.

Because Noach's inner form was uncovered and pure, the Divine "chein" — grace and favor — could rest upon it.

וכמו כן הוא בזמן בש"ק שהוא יום מנוחה דכתיב וינח.

And likewise it is in time, on the holy Shabbos, which is a day of rest, as it is written, "and He rested" (vayanach).

What Noach (whose name shares the root of "rest") is among people, Shabbos is among the days — a time of menuchah where the inner light is revealed.

יש בו החן והוא הנחמה כמ"ש ששם נח על זה ינחמנו.

It contains the favor, and it is the comfort, as it says that the name "Noach" [was given] regarding "this one will comfort us."

Shabbos, like Noach, holds this Divine chein and brings consolation — the same comfort hinted at in Noach's name.

ולכן שבת זכר למעשה בראשית דכ' וירא אלקים וכו' טוב מאוד ואיתא במד' שאמר הקב"ה עולמי עולמי הלואי שתהי' מעלת חן לפני כשעה זו ע"ש.

Therefore Shabbos is a remembrance of the work of creation, as it is written, "And Elokim saw... it was very good" (Bereishis 1:31); and it is brought in the Midrash that Hashem said, "My world, My world — if only you would find favor before Me as at this hour" — see there.

At creation's completion Hashem found the world "very good" and wished it would always retain that grace; Shabbos preserves and recalls that moment of Divine favor.

ובכל ש"ק יש מציאות חן הזה לכן הוא זכרון למעשה בראשית והוא ג"כ ללמד על הכלל כולו על כל הזמנים וכמו כן מילה בנפשות בנ"י.

And on every holy Shabbos there is the reality of this favor; therefore it is a remembrance of the work of creation, and it too teaches about the whole — about all times; and likewise milah [teaches] among the souls of Bnei Yisrael.

Each Shabbos re-establishes that original chein and, like Noach, teaches about all of time; and circumcision plays the parallel role among the souls of Bnei Yisrael, revealing the inner holiness.

ולכן חל ע"ז הברכה כיון דסט"א ערקית בשבת.

Therefore the blessing rests upon it, since the "other side" (sitra achra) flees on Shabbos.

On Shabbos the forces of impurity withdraw, so the blessing can rest — there is no waste to obstruct it.

וכמו כן הערלה נכרתת מזה האבר לכן חל הברכה והחן וזהו ינחמנו:

And likewise the orlah is cut away from this limb — therefore the blessing and the favor rest [there] — and this is "he will comfort us."

Just as Shabbos drives away impurity, milah removes the orlah, uncovering the inner form so that blessing and Divine chein can rest upon it — and this revelation of the inner light is the true "comfort."

Summary: Adam's sin drew a concealing "orlah" of impurity over the holy inner core of creation, bringing the curse of toil and pain. Noach, born already circumcised, revealed that pure inner form upon which Hashem's blessing and grace (chein) rest — teaching about the hidden holy light within everyone. Shabbos, a day of rest sharing Noach's root, and milah among Bnei Yisrael, accomplish the same thing: they strip away the covering of impurity so the inner light, blessing, and Divine favor can shine forth — and this revelation is the true "comfort."